It is really cold today; it was about 21 degrees when I headed for the barn.  I bundled up, and the turbo heater was blowing, so it wasn't too bad until we moved to the arena.

Ok - today was one of the absolute worst lessons I've had since I started riding.  Blondie was being a pill, and when D threw me up on her, he mentioned that she hadn't been worked the day before.  He wanted to see how I handled a fresher horse.  This should have been my first clue that things weren't going to go well today.

We started trotting, and as D was getting her aired up, she spun around, and I lost my balance.  I fell off.  My foot was caught in the stirrup, and I was dragged about 10 feet before the stirrup leather detached from the saddle. Parental units, don't be alarmed!  I'm fine, as Blondie was thoughtful enough to leap over me instead stepping on me after I hit the dirt.

I don't know if the lighter D was firing off freaked her out, or if it was the steaming pile of horse crap she deposited in our path the prior time around.  I really think it was the horse poop, because she kept jumping every time we passed another mound of the stuff.  Now I am feeling pretty low, as I was dumped in front of not one, but two of my instructors.

After spitting all of the dirt out of my mouth, shaking as much of it out of my pants as possible, and wiping the muddy snot off of my upper lip, I got back on her.  The lighter was mysteriously absent for the rest of the lesson...

When we moved on to the canter, I got it both ways, but she fell out of it the second way of the ring.  Then I couldn't get her to pick it back up again.  D had me try just going back and forth along the rail, but she wasn't taking the cue.  Then he got on her and worked the crap out of her, literally.  I think she pooped three times while he was trying to remind her of the wisdom of cantering when asked the first time.

After putting the steaming Blondie away, he had me get Wild Child ready, and we just worked on cantering.  She wasn't co-operating with me, either, even though I was asking her correctly.  By this time, I was frustrated and cold, and just wanted to go back home and pretend the lesson was all a bad dream.  I wonder if Blondie will still be going to the academy show?  I really need to ride her more often, and Harley less often, if I'm ever going to get any better!

ARGH!!

Friday night's lesson was on Harley.  We worked on leg yields, side passes, and turning on the haunches.  Since Harley is a wonder horse, he did everything I asked, whether or not I was cueing him correctly.  This is part of the problem with riding him, and when I move on to harder horses, I get frustrated when they don't do as I request. 

After sliding through the snow to the farm, I found that there would only be three of us brave enough (or stupid enough) to fight the huge snow flakes that started falling about 3.  It was cold and with many layers of clothes to hinder my movements, I waddled from my car to the barn.

I was about 20 minutes early because I knew that driving out be bad.  Harley and Sammy were both tacked, and even though I was early, I was still late to the lesson, even with help getting Wild Child ready.  Everyone just wanted to get back home in case the weather worsened.

D had asked who I wanted to ride, and I asked if he meant besides my horse.  He told me that they had already worked her (boo!), but gave me several other choices.  Jimmy just pisses me off, Pepper and I don't get along, so I settled for Wild Child, even though she scares the crap out of me at the canter.

After warming up the horses, we worked on trotting, and M was very pleased with how Wild Child looked at the posting trot.  She has a fun trot, and I think she would make a great walk/trot horse.  Her canter is out of control, but she's really fun to trot around.  We trotted figure 8's, which is a lot of work on her, because she hasn't been taught to turn and bend.  She's a work in process.

M had the kids canter their horses first, and when Harley lumbered by, Wild Child thought he was getting a little too fresh with her and she snapped at him.  Any horse that is within a three foot radius of her is a little too close for her comfort, and she is very swift to point this out.

When it was our turn, we started on the left lead, which is Wild Child's (and mine) good way.  She picked up the correct lead, and didn't even careen around the arena like normal.  She was slow (for her), and I didn't even have the feeling that I was about to be thrown from the saddle at any time.  She did try to take a chunk out of Harley as we cantered passed him, which had M laughing because she said it looked so funny.

When we reversed, Wild Child picked up the wrong lead. Again.  Every time I try to get the right lead, she doesn't get it.  When I tried again, she picked up the correct lead, but I was caught a little off guard and I used the reins to balance myself, pulling to the right.  This caused the horse to veer into the middle of the arena, and it took two circles before I was able to straighten her out.  You can't go as fast in a circle, so as she slowed down, I was able to get my balance back.

This direction was not fun, and I mainly hung on for dear life.  I was extremely happy when M called for the walk.  Maybe I should have ridden Jimmy after all.

Then Kim wanted to practice one of her patterns, a 4 loop serpentine.  It was ugly when Wild Child and I tried it, but we completed the pattern at the required trot and I think I got most of the diagonal changes correct.

Next M showed us how to address the reins.  This particular exercise left me utterly clueless.  Since I don't ride equitation, I don't have to know how to do it, and I had certainly never heard of it before.  Basically, when in the line up and with the judge watching, each rider sets the buckles of the reins on the horse's neck, and then proceeds to pick them back up in a mystifying manner, all without looking down.  It seemed pointless to me, and made me declare how happy I was not to be 13.

D mentioned that they are probably going to take Blondie to the next academy show, and Abby and I will ride her.  I am hoping this means that I will be able to ride her more during the week.  I also think Robert should ride her at the show, because D said that he is the only other person besides himself who can get her head crammed way back.

M also gave me the show schedule for this summer, which I folded up and stuck in my coat pocket.  When I arrived back home, it was missing, and now I'm wondering where it fell out!

Today I headed off to the barn with a lack of my usual enthusiasm.  It was a whopping 20 degrees, which meant bundling up in so many layers I could hardly move.  I had on three thermals, a vest,  a lined jacket, and my hoodie. Yippee!

At the barn, D had me get Wild Child ready first.  I actually got a little too warm while struggling to remove her blanket and had to shed a layer of clothes.  Once I had the mare brushed, Zoe helped me get her tack on, and we moved to the arena.  Then I shed another layer of clothes so I didn't start sweating while I was riding.

M oversaw the lesson, and she said that Wild Child looked really good when she was trotting.  When we first tried to canter, she picked up the wrong lead and we changed directions to try again.  Again, she picked up the incorrect lead.  M then removed one of the reins from the bridle because I had Wild Child's head upside down and had me try again.  This time she picked it up, and she was only moderately too fast, instead of her bat out of hell too fast. 

Next up was Blondie.  D took over the lesson.  Things always get cranked up a notch when he's in charge.  While I was trotting Blondie, he banged a driving whip against a wall to get her cranked back.  He rattled the bag whip and kicked at the dirt.  Blondie responds to these efforts by dropping her rearend and churning along the rail.  I am pretty much hanging on for dear life.

After trotting in both directions, he removed the stretchers from her front legs and we worked on cantering.  The first way I had her nice and slow, and even M took a moment away from her lesson to tell me how nice we looked. The second way I had a little more trouble getting her to pick it up, but after she did, she had a nice canter again.  It was faster than the first way, but not by much.

After cantering, I was absolutely freezing. My fingers were so cold!  I had on my Under Armour gloves, and they weren't doing much today.  At least the helmet kept my head relatively warm.  On Wild Child, I didn't even notice the cold, but flying around the arena at a frenzied trot on my horse, I could definitely feel the chill.

D even let me try to rack her today, but I didn't have a lot of success with this.  He thinks that my legs aren't strong enough.  Since she's still learning how to go, she needs a lot of direction from the rider, and since I am not good with the slow gait yet, the results were less than impressive.  He hopped up after I was done to "fix" her.

Later, M said that I was too far forward to keep her going.  I need to sit back on the saddle to help push her forward. 

Blondie was a steaming mess when she was finished, and D had me stand in front of the turbo heater with her until she was dry.  This was actually rather pleasant, as I was thoroughly chilled by this time.  It took about 10 minutes for her to stop steaming, and then I took her back to her stall and brushed her off.

By the time I arrived back home, I was freezing again.  I even had to put on another sweatshirt.  It took about 3 hours to warm back up!  I hate the winter!

I had to cancel Wednesday's lesson because I still wasn't feeling well, and with the drop in temperature, I didn't want to risk prolonging my illness.  Tonight we kept the lesson short, and M had me ride Harley since I'm still not feeling 100%.

We worked on canter transitions.  I lean forward and try to push the horse into the canter, and she told me to concentrate on not collapsing my middle.  Instead, she had me sit back when cueing the canter, and on keeping my upper body straight. 

Because it is so cold, we called it quits earlier than normal.  I was tired and extremely cold by the time I left, so I wasn't too upset about the abbreviated lesson.  Hopefully I'll be feeling better by Sunday, and I can ride a couple of the horses.   I only have 2 more days of medication, so I had better be well by then!

I woke to the pitter-patter of rain hitting the roof.  Not a good sound when it's 29 degrees.  When I took Buu out for his morning potty break, even the grass was slippery.  I dreaded the thought of trying to drive out of the sub to the main road.

Since I was actually feeling worse today than yesterday, I briefly considered calling M and letting her know that I wasn't coming, but then I would feel like a quitter.  I was getting my belongings together and about to try to thaw the car when she called to tell me that the roads are really bad, and she is staying home today.  D would be at the barn if I still wanted to venture forth.

Given this opportunity to stay home and rest, I decided to do the sensible thing for a change.  I'm going to settle down on the futon with some books and read, or sleep if the mood strikes me.  Checking the weather forecast is rather depressing - the rain is supposed to continue until 10pm tonight, and then we're supposed to get whopped with snow.  I hope the roads are cleared up before I head into work tomorrow.  Now I pray that we don't lose power, as it took Edison a week to restore it after the last ice storm. ..

Today dawned cold and sleety.  I was less than thrilled to see the layer of ice that had accumulated on the deck and on my car.  I started to wonder (read panic)  if I had given myself enough time to get ready and drive to East Lansing, but my fears proved unfounded.  Despite driving in a occasional downpour of ice, the roads weren't bad at all.

Because I wasn't feeling well, I decided not to bother with a double windor, and instead pulled out a turtle neck and the extremely pretty sweater that a co-worker had given to me.  It no longer fit her, but it looks great on me!  It's a lovely turquoise, and I thought about skipping on my helmet, as they clashed, but I learned at the show that they are required for all riders.  They were optional at the MIA show last month.

The show was at the smaller barn at the MSU Pavilion.  I don't know quite what I was expecting, but the facility was very nice.  Even the port-o-potty didn't bother me, but since the fruitless effort to dig up Jimmy last May, I must have gotten used to using one.  The ring was a little bigger than I thought it would be, and since there were only 3 barns participating, it was never crowded when I was in it.

I was in the first and the twenty-six class.  It might sound like a big spread between the two, but there were about 20 classes canceled.  The first class was Show Pleasure Schooling, and it was judged on the horse's performance.  I was riding Harley, because both M & D thought I would feel more comfortable on him in the smaller arena.  The other class was 18+ Equitation.  I didn't hold much hope for that one...

To start with, everything was rather rushed before the first class.  It seemed to me that we were late getting the horses bridled and out in the warm up area.  M had me warm Harley up, and I was a frazzled mess by this time.  My perception of him is that he needs a longer warm up period, and I didn't even have time to canter him before the first class was called.

Laurie and I were in the class (a friendly face!), and there were two other riders.  Laurie was riding Summer, and she had a terrible time with her!  She couldn't get her to trot with impulsion, and she was never able to canter her, in either direction. 

I trotted Harley into the ring, working his bridle the way M had shown me during the past two weeks.  He was trotting beautifully!  His head was set, and he felt really good.  Here's were everything fell to crap.  I set him up to canter, and he picked up the wrong lead.  I didn't even realize, because he hardly ever picks up the wrong lead and he is rough in that direction!  Both M & D were trying to help Laurie get Summer to canter, and didn't notice me, so I think I actually went around the ring an entire circuit before M noticed.  F@CK!  The rest of the lesson was better, but of course, I was 3rd.

When I was stuffing a frosted cookie in my face, hoping the sugar buzz would dull the memory, D came over and said, "And I thought you were going to win your first blue."  Rub some salt into the wound, why don't ya?  I told him I never know if I'm on the wrong lead on Harley, and he and M need to fix that!  Like, before the next show!

Several people commented that I looked really nervous during the class, and M explained to them that's the reason I'm doing the academy shows.  I'm not as nervous as I used to be, but I get  tense and my brain seizes up.  When I went back in the equitation class, I was much more relaxed (sugar cookies are good for you!), but as it was judged on how I sat on the horse, I was dead last.  Laurie also has Summer fixed by then, and they looked really sharp.  She was 2nd.

The kids from the barn did great!  Most of the older kids won at least one class.  Maggie rode Harley, and she didn't do so well, and I know she was every disappointed with her ride.  Harley is a great horse, but I think it's really hard to win on him.  I really want to try riding Blondie at the next show, and M said as soon as I get the canter down, we'll try it.  I don't even care if the canter is down; I'd rather fail spectacularly on my horse than someone else's!  At least I would know what we need to work on before the real shows start again, and I think her spooking at the new surroundings is going to be more of a problem than whether or not she canters.

I stayed until the noon break, and then, chilled to the bone, I left for warmer surroundings.  I didn't even wander over to watch the polo match, because I was so tired and felt so crappy that I just wanted to go home and go to bed.

I did stop at the Borders in Brighton; I had Christmas rewards that expire tomorrow, and a 20% off coupon that I wanted to use.  I think it's cheesy that they put an expiration date on their reward points.  I also ordered a cappuccino at Seattle's Best, and it was very yummy. I think that a cup of hot water would have tasted good, I was so cold....

I am sick again, and haven't had the energy to blog.  Especially after a freezing riding lesson.  Here's the scoop on Wednesday's class.

It was cold enough that M dragged the turbo heater out of storage and had it blasting away when I arrived at the barn.  It didn't seem all that cold as I was getting the horse ready, but in the arena, away from the warmth of the heater, it was damn cold!  And of course the heater ran out of fuel by the time we were finished, so getting the horses ready for bed was an unpleasant experience.

I had the choice of riding Pepper or Wild Child since I got there before Laurie.  I picked Wild Child, because Pepper sweats like a pig.  I was not looking forward to cantering on Wild Child, but the thought of having to wait until Pepper dried off was even less pleasant.

For the trotting portion of the lesson, I was able to keep Wild Child to a nice, controlled pace.  She even relaxed enough to set her head a little.  Then came to cantering.  Argh!  Twice going the other way of the ring she picked up the wrong lead.  By that time, she was a fidgety wreak, so M had me walk her in the middle of the arena while everyone else cantered.

When we tried again, we went the first way, and she picked up the right lead.  Wild Child doesn't canter well yet, and she doesn't know how to go slow.  M kept telling me to think of her as a green horse, and remember that she needed guidance.  By the time we finished, Wild Child was a steaming, sweating mess.  She was worse than Pepper.

To finish out the lesson, we ran through Audie's academy pattern, which consisted of trotting into the ring, trotting a circle half way, and continuing around the rail.  Then halting at the half way point on the opposite rail from the circle, back 5 steps, pick up a trot on the correct diagonal, and exit the ring.  It was hard for me to concentrate on M as she ran through the pattern, because I was engulfed in a curtain of steam from Wild Child. 

M told me to think about the halting part while I was trotting the circle.  She didn't want to get Wild Child all frazzled again, as she doesn't usually use her for patterns, and warned me not to suddenly stop her.  Since she doesn't know how to back, either, M helped she move back when I pulled back on reins.  Then we trotted out, and I did not pick up the correct diagonal!

There's an academy show tomorrow, and it's supposed to be about 30 degrees in the morning.  It's at the MSU pavilion, in the little barn behind the pavilion.  It is going to be so cold, and once again, I feel like crap.  It's hard to concentrate on what your horse is doing when there's a gallon of snot dripping out of your nose.  There's supposed to be a polo game in the pavilion, so I'll run across the parking lot to watch it.  The pavilion is heated.  Good thing admission is free.

The temperature took a turn for crap today.  It was quite cold, and I was forced to dig out my long johns again.  Bundled in 2 thermal shirts, a windbreaker and my sweatshirt, I headed for the barn.  One good thing about the drop in the temperature - the mud started to freeze.  No more slipping through the muck. 

D was dropping a horse off for someone, so M had me warm up on Harley.  Since I'll be showing him at the academy show next week, she had me work again on collection, and cantering in circles because he swaps his back end if you don't stay after him.  The arena for the show is less than half the size of our training arena, which means things might get pretty crowded...

D arrived just before I just hopped on Harley, and he worked Woody in a running W.   They shaved Woody's head because he sweats so much, and he looked really goofy. His head is now 3 shades lighter than his body.

I helped get Blondie ready, and was not happy to see D snap on the draw reins.  I absolutely hate them!  He wants to use them because she tosses her head up since he's been teaching her to rack, and he wants her to bring her head up and back.

D told me that he wasn't going to tell me what I was doing wrong today.  He wanted me to pretend I was at the show, and try to make her look like a show horse.  Since he doesn't offer much in the way of constructive criticism anyway, this wasn't really that big a deal.

Blondie did almost every thing I asked of her, including getting her canters.  D did help me to rate her speed; he wants her to have 14 strides along each rail, and that's a good speed for her.  When we first took off, it was 9 strides, then 11, then 12, but now I have a better way to judge if we are going too fast. 

We worked on halting, so I am starting to wonder if he's planning on putting her in country pleasure classes.  M told me in Louisville that Blondie could probably show there if she was in country pleasure classes. She's not expensive enough to compete in the show pleasure classes.  Not enough zeros on her price tag.

While I was putting her away, M had Doc on a lead line, and was giving a lesson to a girl who's rather afraid of horses.  This is not a good thing because her mother purchased Spooky for her.  When Zoe brought Wildchild into the arena to walk her out (M had to give her a little re-education on the proper way to canter and she was a steaming, sweating mess when they were finished), I guess Doc went nuts.  Apparently, he's afraid of blue coolers.   Wildchild was quickly removed from the arena.   Brooke didn't fall off, but I guess it scared the crap out of her.

After the lesson, M had Zoe bring Wildchild back in, and she taught Doc the folly of not paying attention to her.  At first, he was utterly terrified of the wraith-like horse gliding around him, but with M reminding him to pay attention to her, he soon was back to trotting contentedly on the lead line.  Then M had one of other girls put on her crash helmet and trot Doc around Wildchild and the pony-eating fleece blanket.  Horses are so dumb!  It's not the blue coolers that are scary, it's the red ones!  The red one!!

January in Michigan is supposed to be horrid and cold.  I'm really enjoying the 50 degree temps, but it's starting to confuse Mother Nature.  My tulips are popping out of the soil, and as I brushed Harley, I noticed that he is starting to shed.  Badly.  All over my recently washed sweatshirt.

For this lesson, we worked on collection.  At the last academy show, I allowed Harley to get too long.  During my driving lesson, I learned to work the bridle with the horse's stride.  This checks the horse's speed, and makes him do most of the work.  I have to concentrate on getting his head up and his nose down.  We spent most of the time working on getting his canter right, so he was a sweaty mess when the lesson ended.

It took forever to cool him off!  I walked him around the arena for about 20 minutes, and then had to hand walk him for another 15.  Then I tried to towel him dry.  Horse hair flew everywhere!  Yuck.